This section includes various types of treatments for
epilepsy in our dogs. Although medication is still the primary
treatment, other treatments are being studied and information will be provided
here.

New
medications for treating epilepsy in humans are continuously being
approved. Unfortunately most of these new medications are metabolized
too quickly to be useful in treating canine epilepsy and are very erratic
in their effectiveness, therefore
Phenobarbital and Bromide remain the first choice of anti-epileptic drugs
for our pups. Additionally, most of these new
medications have not had toxicity studies done on them in dogs and at least
one (Lamotrigine) is extremely toxic to dogs although it's perfectly safe
for humans.

The goal
of drug therapy is to reduce the frequency and severity of seizures without
compromising the quality of life your dog enjoys. Some dogs
respond very well to medications and never have another seizure. Most
veterinarians will consider treatment successful if seizures are reduced to
less than once a month, however, many dogs obtain much longer seizure free
periods and some will never have another seizure as long as they take their
medication.

If your
dog does not gain control of seizures with the use of Phenobarbital and/or
bromide, your vet may refer you to a neurologist who may prescribe one of
the other drugs listed here, or he may want to try another medication that
has shown promise in treating humans with epilepsy.

All
medications, both natural and prescription, have potential adverse side
effects. Most of the potential adverse effects are not harmful long
term, but several of them can be. Please be sure to learn what signs
to look for to determine if your pup is having an adverse reaction to
anti-seizure medication and seek prompt medical attention in the event they
occur.

The
following is some terminology that is pertinent to the medications used to
control seizures:

Target
Serum Concentrationis the estimated
amount of medication that should be in the blood stream in order to
gain good control with the least amount of side effects. Note
that this is an estimate and may vary from one dog to another.
Some dogs gain seizure control on doses well below target serum
concentrations and others need to be above the target to gain control.

Mean
Elimination Half Lifeis
the amount of time that it will take for half of a given medication to
be eliminated from the body by metabolism and excretion if the
medication is never given again. For example, Phenobarbital
has a half life of 36 to 72 hours. In this case a dog
with Phenobarbital levels of 30 ug/ml would have a level of 15 ug/ml
after 36 to 72 hours if no additional medication was given. After
another 36 to 72 hours the serum level would be 7.5 ug/ml and so on.
It takes 5 half-lifes for a drug to be 97% eliminated from the
body.

Time
to Reach Steady State is the amount of
time that the drug needs to be given before blood levels are constant.
This is usually equal to five half lives. Optimal seizure control
is not gained until a drug reaches steady state.

Dosage
Frequency is
frequently abbreviated as follows:

SID
means once a day
BID means twice a day
TID means three times a day
PRN means "as needed"

Dosing
Recommendations -
Please note this web site does not include dose recommendations.
In most cases, anti-seizure medication is measured by blood serum
levels. Published dose recommendations are only estimations of
the amount of medication a "typical" dog will require to
achieve the desired blood serum levels. The blood serum level,
seizure control and side effects are the factors that determine if a
dose is right for your dog. Please beware of any web site that
tells you what dose of a drug to give your dog. Doses are always
best determined by the veterinarian who knows your dog.